Michigan

Tigers pick up Pirates' Bloom in Rule 5 draft

LAS VEGAS -- The Detroit Tigers took a chance on a left-handed pitcher in Thursday's Rule 5 draft of players left off 40-man major league rosters, and lost a minor league catcher in the process that concluded baseball's winter meetings.

Detroit selected Kyle Bloom from the Pittsburgh Pirates and had left handed-hitting James Skelton taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Skelton was the West Michigan Whitecaps' best hitter in 2007, hitting .309 with seven home runs and 52 RBIs.

The Tigers must pay the Pirates $50,000 for Bloom and keep him on their 25-man major league roster all of the 2009 season or return him to Pittsburgh for $25,000. The Diamondbacks must follow the same transaction regulations with Detroit in regard to Skelton.

Roberto Clemente, Josh Hamilton and Johan Santana found their stardom elsewhere after Rule 5 drafts. But sometimes, teams make mistakes after taking players. Detroit drafted John Wetteland from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1987 but returned him late in spring training after deciding the final roster spot would go to utility infielder Jim Walewander.

Wetteland ended up with 330 major league saves, while Walewander hit .215 with one homer and 14 RBIs in four years in the big leagues.

While the minor leaguers taken Thursday were unknowns to most fans, they could become an interesting twist-of-fate tale.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said Bloom, 25, will "make it very interesting if he throws like he did in Hawaii," where Dick Egan scouted him and saw significant improvement. Bloom was 5-8 with a 4.19 ERA at Double-A Altoona last year, but was 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 32 strikeouts and 11 walks in 30 innings for the West Oahu CaneFires.

"He has a good breaking ball, above-average fastball and a changeup," said Dombrowski.

Baseball America rated Bloom as one of the three most attractive left-handed starters available in the Rule 5 draft, but Dombrowski said he is most likely to look at him as a reliever in spring training.

According to Baseball America, Bloom has worked out a mechanical flaw by "freeing up his arm and reducing a pause in his delivery."

Skelton hit .294 with 2 home runs and 11 RBIs in 85 at-bats at Double-A Erie, and batted .307 with 3 homers and 23 RBIs in 212 at-bats with Class A Lakeland.

"We just don't think he's ready to play in the big leagues and will be difficult to carry (for the season)," Dombrowski said.

Arizona has right handed-hitting Chris Snyder starting with left-handed bat Miguel Montero getting significant playing time. It also carried right-handed hitter Robby Hammock much of the season, Whether Skelton has a chance to stick likely depends on Montero being dealt, and the D-Backs are looking for a good starting pitcher in return, which is not likely to happen.

If Skelton stays with Arizona, Detroit is high on another left-handed hitter they have at catcher. Alex Avila, son of Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila, has been impressive since being drafted in June out of the University of Alabama.

Farnsworth signing

Various news sources expect Kyle Farnsworth, who was 2-3 with a 4.48 ERA last year for the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees, to sign a two-year deal for $9 million with the Kansas City Royals.

Dombrowski had no interest in re-signing Farnsworth, 32, who came to the Tigers in midseason for catcher Ivan Rodriguez and was seldom effective. Kansas City needs setup relievers after trading Ramon Ramirez and Leo Nunez, and appears ready to greatly reward Farnsworth based on his 738 career strikeouts in 735 innings.